Coromandel Peninsula
Nearby
Auckland Taupo Hamilton Tauranga RotoruaCoromandel: Understand
Population ~ 29,000
The Coromandel Peninsula is a series of coves, beaches, rainforests and harbours jutting out on the east coast of the North Island. It’s within 1.5 hours drive from Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua.
Coromandel: See & Do
I lived on the Coromandel for a summer during University days! I was based at Cooks Beach (with a friend at her family bach) and we would travel to the ferry landing each morning to take the ferry across to Whitianga for a day of work.
Cooks Beach
Cooks Beach has an amazing, long beach. On our evenings off, my friend and I would head down to the Purangi (where the river mouth meets the ocean) and have a picnic, go for a swim or kayak across to the other side (if the tide allowed us!). On the main beach, there is a fun rope swing hiding in the giant pine trees.
The Shakespeare Cliff Lookout is a favourite walk. Pack a picnic or your swimsuit and drop into Lonely Bay – depending on when you visit, you could be the only visitors in the entire glorious, white sand bay.
Whitianga
Whitianga has a bit more of a commercial hub, with a supermarket, pharmacy, plus a few cafes and restaurants. From Whitianga, you can rent kayaks to go out exploring, jump on a boat excursion or get to a great fishing spot. For a luxurious morning or afternoon, The Lost Spring has geo-thermal pools, complete with poolside cocktail delivery and a day spa.
Whangamata
In Whangamata, be sure to walk the beach! There’s a cool day walk through the bush at Wentworth Valley, there’s kayaking at the estuary, or you can play a round of golf (if you’re into golf, Whangamata has a fantastic course).
If you go slightly out of Whangamata to Onemana (10-minute drive) there is an awesome walk to Octopus Bay. It’s a secluded beach that is certainly worth the venture to!
Coromandel Town
Coromandel Town is accessible by ferry from Auckland, or by road from Thames along the coast. There’s a lot of arts and crafts in Coromandel Town, and there’s the Kauri Block 2-hour walk, which includes ocean views and Māori culture.
Coromandel Beaches
In addition to Cooks Beach and Whangamata Beach there are some other goodies around the Coromandel…
Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove is a 30-minute downhill bushwalk from the carpark near Hahei (yep, that means uphill going back!). A few tips for visiting Cathedral Cove:
- Visit at low-ish tide to be able to walk through the rock to the beach on the other side.
- Parking fills up rapidly in peak summer season! You can park in Hahei and catch the shuttle bus up, or try to snag a park on some of the locals’ driveways for a small fee.
- You can also visit Cathedral Cove and the surrounding Mercury Bay area by sea kayak – you’ll start from Hahei.
Hot Water Beach
The best time to visit Hot Water beach is 2-hours either side of low tide. This is when you’ll be able to see hot water bubbling through the sand, so with a spade in hand you’ll be able to dig your own spa pool!
If you didn’t pack your spade (who can blame you?), you can hire one from Hotties Cafe, Hot Waves Cafe or the Hot Water Beach Top 10 Holiday Park.
New Chum Beach
New Chum Beach is a beautiful stretch of golden sand, which is accessed from Whangapoua beach. Park there, and from the north end of Whangapoua beach cross the stream and begin your walk along the rocky shoreline and over the headland. It’s a 1km walk, approximately 20-30 minutes. You walk through a nikau forest with huge Pohutukawa (the New Zealand Christmas trees).
Coromandel Hikes
The Pinnacles Trail (official name: Kauaeranga Kauri Trail) would be our top pick!
You have the option of doing it as a day walk, 6-hours round trip. Or stay overnight in the Pinnacles Hut, and catch sunset and sunrise.
Following the track, you first arrive at the hut. It’s another 1km past the hut that you reach the Pinnacles Summit, at 759 metres. The final part of the ascent involves climbing ladders, which makes the views all the more worth it!
The Coromandel Coastline Walk covers a stunning section of coastline on the east of the Coromandel Peninsula. The track starts in Stony Bay, and finishes in Fletcher Bay (or vice versa). It’s about 3.5 hours one-way, so you could return (on the same track) in 7-hours, or take a tent and sleeping back and stay the night at the other end at the DOC campground, before returning the next day.
Worth noting: it is hard to get to! From Colville, the road turns to gravel. To start in Stony Bay, from Colville take the 20km eastern route via Port Charles. To start in Fletcher Bay, from Colville take the 30km western route hugging the coast north through Fantail Bay and Port Jackson. It takes about an hour to get to each start point from Colville.
There is the option to join a tour, and they provide transport and collection. The best place to arrange this is in Coromandel Town.
Coromandel: Eat
Go Vino is an excellent option in Cooks Beach for a nice night out. The food is on point, and plates are designed to be shared (priced between $12-22 per plate). Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For breakfast and lunch in Cooks Beach, Eggsentric Cafe has great food options (and certainly lives up to its name in the gardens and decor!). Eggsentric is closed Mondays.
In Whangamata, your best lunch option is Sixfortysix – great food at a good price. Blackies is located right on the beach, and is a good option for more casual food. Or if you’re just looking for a treat, local insight tells us there are “killer cream donuts” at Port Road Bakery. The best dinner in Whangamata would be fish & chips on the beach! There’s a fish & chip store in town, and another near the estuary. Another good option is Soul Burger, which has very high recommendations amongst locals.
In Coromandel Town, Wharf Road is your best breakfast and lunch option. Open 8 am – 3 pm daily, it’s a vegetarian cafe that manages to keep meat-eaters happy too!
Coromandel: Sleep
In Whangamata there are two great campground options – the Wentworth Valley Camping Ground ($) is immersed in the bush and close to several walks. The downside of this option is you have a decent drive to get to the beach. The Whangamata Motor Camp ($) is the closest one to the beach – it’s on Barbara Ave, it’s close to town, and it’s always pretty pumping!
There are Top 10 Holiday Parks ($) in Coromandel Town and at Hot Water Beach, both with cabins and basic amenities.
If you’re looking for a little more comfort, there is Little Paradise Lodge ($$) in Whitianga, or Anchor Lodge Motel ($$) in Coromandel Town.
Or if you’re looking to spend your time on the Coromandel in luxury, we recommend Brook Lodge ($$$) in Whangamata.
Where to next?
Nearby towns:
Auckland Taupo Hamilton Tauranga Rotorua
Nearby Regions:
Auckland Waikato Bay of PlentyCathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach